The gold mines of West Africa provided great wealth to West African Empires such as Ghana and Mali. Other items that were commonly traded included ivory, kola nuts, cloth, slaves, metal goods, and beads. As trade developed across Africa, major cities developed as centers for trade.
One of the main reasons why trade in West Africa was so important is because this was the "hub" of the African part of the Triangle Trade--meaning that a large majority of the slaves used in the New World came from West Africa.
<u>The Jews were one of the most important cultures that began in Mesopotamia. They came from one of the Sumerian cultures and branched off to form their own Jewish culture around 2000 BC.</u>
